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Essential's Columbia

September 21, 2007 - 2:17am

dolfs

Essential's Columbia

Today it was time for my first try at Essential's Columbia from Maggie Glezer's "Artisan Baking".

Essential's Columbia

I hadn't gone there before, so first a trip to the store to get non-diastatic malt syrup and toasted wheat germ. I mixed the levain midnight the night before using my Glazer French style firm starter. It was plenty ready the this morning at 8AM, but my schedule included a meeting with a client from 1-2:30 so I waited until 10AM to put the final dough together. Kitchen was at 72F, doubled by 3PM, folded and put it back one more hour. Then pre-shaped, 15 minute bench rest, and shaped and placed into wooden banneton. Completed its proof by 7:30PM at which point I slashed and baked as per instructions.

I had just a little trouble releasing one of the loaves from the banneton (see the "stray" slash on the left loaf) and did not slash quite deep enough (I think). The crust was not as dark red/brown as in the book, but it came out pretty well, and tastes great, with a nice moist, slightly chewy crumb. I am pleased.

Columbia Crumb

Dough for Challah (Rose Levy Beranbaum's New Traditional Challah) just went into the fridge for finishing tomorrow. First time for that one too. If I like it, I'll make it again for break-fast on Saturday evening, along with the cool Challah rolls that mariana showed us. If I don't like it, I have my own "old" Challah recipe as a backup. This will be a busy baking weekend!

Your dough's reluctance getting out of the banneton reminds me of what I saw at a KA workshop--the baker was releasing dough from the baskets for baking, and never mind if the dough didn't want to, "Oh, this one's sticking," she'd say, then most uncarefully haul the bugger out. If it looked hellacious she plumped it back into shape and moved on.

Dolf, wonderful loaves. Columbia is such a rich and delicious bread. I love the scent of the toasted wheat germ that I get whiffs of all day when I bake it. I think that just enhances the flavor. I haven't baked it for a while and I think I need to. Yours sure look great!

Browndog, I am so happy to hear that instructor just plopped the dough out and went on. I think often those loaves are more resilient than we realize.

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